Field of the Invention
One or more embodiments of the invention are related to the field of virtual reality systems. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention enable a head mounted display system that uses a peripheral field-of-view illumination system to create an immersive image covering a significant portion of a user's natural field of view.
Description of the Related Art
Virtual reality systems are known in the art. Such systems generate a virtual world for a user that responds to the user's movements. Examples include various types of virtual reality headsets and goggles worn by a user, as well as specialized rooms with multiple displays. Virtual reality systems typically include sensors that track a user's head, eyes, or other body parts, and that modify the virtual world according to the user's movements. The virtual world consists of a three-dimensional model, computer-generated or captured from real-world scenes. Images of the three-dimensional model may be affected by the user's position and orientation, or by other factors such as the user's actions or parameters of the user's physical state. Generation of these images requires rendering of the three-dimensional model onto one or more two-dimensional displays that are integrated into a head mounted device.
A major challenge for existing virtual reality systems is that they have limited fields of view. These systems typically use head mounted devices with flat displays positioned in front of and parallel to the user's eyes. The field of view as seen by the user extends only to the edges of the display. The geometry and design of existing head mounted display devices provides a horizontal field typically on the order of 100 degrees. This field of view is far below the user's natural horizontal field of view, which is more than 180 degrees. Users therefore do not perceive the virtual reality environment as completely realistic.
In particular, existing virtual reality systems typically do not project any images into the peripheral regions of the user's field of view. User's have relatively low resolution vision in these peripheral regions, but complete lack of images in the peripheral regions compromises the quality of the virtual reality environment.
For at least the limitations described above there is a need for a peripheral field-of-view illumination system for a head mounted display.